Sikhism

Sikhism

Sikhism, or known in Punjabi as Sikhi, (/ˈsiːkɨzəm/ or /ˈsɪkɨzəm/; Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖੀ, sikkhī, IPA: [ˈsɪkːʰiː]) is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, by Guru Nanak and continued to progress through the ten successive Sikh gurus (the eleventh and last guru being the holy scripture Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is a collection of the Sikh Gurus’ writings that was compiled by the 5th Sikh Guru). It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world, with approximately 30 million adherents. Punjab, India is the only state in the world with a majority Sikh population.

Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples). According to Devinder Singh Chahal, “The word ‘Sikhi’ (commonly known as Gurmat) gave rise to the modern anglicized word ‘Sikhism’ for the modern world.” Gurmat means literally ‘wisdom of the Guru’ in contrast to Manmat, which means self-willed impulses.

According to Sewa Singh Kalsi, “The central teaching in Sikhism is the belief in the concept of the oneness of God.” Sikhism considers spiritual life and secular life to be intertwined. Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru established the system of the Langar (communal kitchen), in order to demonstrate the need to share and have equality between all people. Sikhs also believe that “all religious traditions are equally valid and capable of enlightening their followers”. In addition to sharing with others Guru Nanak inspired people to earn an honest living without exploitation and also the need for remembrance of the divine name (God). Guru Nanak described living an “active, creative, and practical life” of “truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity” as being higher than a purely contemplative life. Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, established the political/temporal (Miri) and spiritual (Piri) realms to be mutually coexistent.

According to the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadhur, the ideal Sikh should have both Shakti (power that resides in the temporal), and Bhakti (spiritual meditative qualities). Finally the concept of the baptized Saint Soldier of the Khalsa was formed by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib. Sikhs are expected to embody the qualities of a “Sant-Sipāhī”—a saint-soldier. Sikhs are expected to have control over the so-called “Five Thieves”, dispelling these by means of the so-called “Five Virtues”.

Philosophy and teachings

The origins of Sikhism lie in the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. The essence of Sikh teaching is summed up by Guru Nanak in these words: “Realization of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still is truthful living”. Sikh teaching emphasizes the principle of equality of all humans and rejects discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, and gender.

Sikhism is a monotheistic and a revealed religion. In Sikhism, God—termed Vāhigurū—is shapeless, timeless, and sightless (i.e., unable to be seen with the physical eye): niraṅkār, akaal, and alakh. The beginning of the first composition of Sikh scripture is the figure “1”—signifying the universality of God. It states that God is omnipresent and infinite with power over everything, and is signified by the term Ik Onkar. Sikhs believe that before creation, all that existed was God and God’s hukam (will or order). When God willed, the entire cosmos was created. From these beginnings, God nurtured “enticement and attachment” to māyā (the human perception of reality).

The Sikh concept of God
Sikhism advocates the belief in one panentheistic God (Ek Onkar) who is omnipresent and has infinite qualities, whose name is true (Satnam), who can do anything (Karta purkh), who has no fear (Nirbhau), who is not enemy of anyone (Nirvair), who is beyond the time (Akaal), who has no image (Murat), who is beyond from birth and death circulation (Ajunee), who is self-existent (Sai Bhang) and with the grace of word guru (eternal light) we can meet him (Gurprasaad). Sikhs do not have a gender for God, nor do they believe God takes a human form. All human beings are considered equal regardless of their religion, sex or race. All are sons and daughters of Waheguru, the Almighty.

Liberation
Guru Nanak’s teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell but on a spiritual union with the Akal which results in salvation or Jivanmukta, Guru Gobind Singh makes it clear that human birth is obtained with great fortune, therefore one needs to be able to make the most of this life. There has been some confusion among scholars, interpreting the pertinent religious texts as evidence that Sikhs believe in reincarnation and karma. In Sikhism karma “is modified by the concept of God’s grace” (nadar, mehar, kirpa, karam etc.). Guru Nanak states “The body takes birth because of karma, but salvation is attained through grace”. To get closer to God: Sikhs avoid the evils of Maya, keep the everlasting truth in mind, practice Shabad Kirtan, meditate on Naam, and serve humanity. Sikhs believe that being in the company of the Satsang or Sadh Sangat is one of the key ways to achieve liberation from the cycles of reincarnation.

Worldly illusion
Māyā—defined as a temporary illusion or “unreality”—is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and salvation: where worldly attractions which give only illusory temporary satisfaction and pain which distract from the process of devotion of God. However, Nanak emphasised māyā as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Sikhism, the influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust—known as the Five Thieves—are believed to be particularly distracting and hurtful. Sikhs believe the world is currently in a state of Kali Yuga (Age of Darkness) because the world is led astray by the love of and attachment to Maya. The fate of people vulnerable to the Five Thieves (‘Pānj Chor’) is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion.

The Timeless Truths

According to Nanak the supreme purpose of human life is to reconnect with Akal (The Timeless One), however, egotism is the biggest barrier in doing this. Using the Guru’s teaching remembrance of nām (the divine Word or the Name of the Lord) leads to the end of egotism. Guru Nanak designated the word ‘guru’ (meaning teacher) to mean the voice of God: the source of knowledge and the guide to salvation. As Ik Onkar is universally immanent, guru is indistinguishable from God and are one and the same. One connects with guru only with accumulation of selfless search of truth. Ultimately the seeker realizes that it is the consciousness within the body which is seeker/follower and the Word is the true guru. The human body is just a means to achieve the reunion with Truth. Once truth starts to shine in a person’s heart, the essence of current and past holy books of all religions is understood by the person.

Singing and music
Sikhs refer to the hymns of the Gurus as Gurbani (The Guru’s word). Shabad Kirtan is the singing of Gurbani. The entire Guru Granth Sahib is written in a form of poetry and rhyme. Guru Nanak started the Shabad Kirtan tradition and taught that listening to kirtan is a powerful way to achieve tranquility while meditating; singing of the glories of the Supreme Timeless One (God) with devotion is the most effective way to come in communion with the Supreme Timeless One. The five morning prayers for Sikhs consist of Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Tav-Prasad Savaiye Chaupai Sahib, and Anand Sahib. Baptized Sikhs rise early and meditate and then recite all the Five Banis of Nitnem before breakfast.

Remembrance
A key practice by Sikhs is remembrance of the Divine Name (Naam – the Name of the Lord). This contemplation is done through Nām Japna (repetition of the divine name) or Naam Simran (remembrance of the divine Name through recitation). The verbal repetition of the name of God or a sacred syllable is an established practice in religious traditions in India but Guru Nanak’s interpretation emphasized inward, personal observance. Guru Nanak’s ideal is the total exposure of one’s being to the divine Name and a total conforming to Dharma or the “Divine Order”. Nanak described the result of the disciplined application of nām simraṇ as a “growing towards and into God” through a gradual process of five stages. The last of these is sach khaṇḍ (The Realm of Truth)—the final union of the spirit with God.

Service and action
Meditation is unfruitful without service and action. Sikhs are taught that selfless service (sēvā), and charitable work enables the devotee to kill the ego. Service in Sikhism takes three forms: “Tan”—physical service; “Man”—mental service (such as studying to help others); and “Dhan”—material service. Guru Nanak stressed now kirat karō: that a Sikh should balance work, worship, and charity, and should defend the rights of all human beings. They are encouraged to have a chaṛdī kalā (optimistic – resilience), view of life. Sikh teachings also stress the concept of sharing—vaṇḍ chakkō—through the distribution of free food at Sikh gurdwaras (laṅgar), giving charitable donations, and working for the good of the community and others (sēvā).

Justice and equality
Sikhism regards “Justice” and “Restorative Justice” and “divine justice” as trumping any subjective codes of moral order. It is one of the duties of the Khalsa to fight oppression of any kind. The word in Punjabi used to depict this is “Ni’āṁ” which means justice, equity, and fair play. The word “dharam” (righteousness) is also used to convey justice “in the sense of the moral order”. “An attack on dharam is an attack on justice, on righteousness, and on the moral order generally”. According to the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh “when all efforts to restore peace prove useless and no words avail, lawful is the flash of steel, it is right to draw the sword”.

Men and women are equal in Sikhism and share the same rights; women have been leading in prayers at Sikh temples since the foundation of Sikhism (some 500 years), and in almost all the spheres of life.

Ten gurus and authority
The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gurū, meaning teacher, guide, or mentor. The traditions and philosophy of Sikhism were established by ten specific gurus from 1469 to 1708. Each guru added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting in the creation of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak was the first guru and appointed a disciple as successor. Guru Gobind Singh was the final guru in human form. Before his death, Guru Gobind Singh decreed that the Gurū Granth Sāhib would be the final and perpetual guru of the Sikhs. Guru Angad succeeded Guru Nanak. Later, an important phase in the development of Sikhism came with the third successor, Guru Amar Das. Guru Nanak’s teachings emphasised the pursuit of salvation; Guru Amar Das began building a cohesive community of followers with initiatives such as sanctioning distinctive ceremonies for birth, marriage, and death. Amar Das also established the manji (comparable to a diocese) system of clerical supervision.Guru Amar Das’s successor and son-in-law Guru Ram Das founded the city of Amritsar, which is home of the Harimandir Sahib and regarded widely as the holiest city for all Sikhs. Guru Arjan was captured by Mughal authorities who were suspicious and hostile to the religious order he was developing. His persecution and death inspired his successors to promote a military and political organization of Sikh communities to defend themselves against the attacks of Mughal forces.

The Sikh gurus established a mechanism which allowed the Sikh religion to react as a community to changing circumstances. The sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, was responsible for the creation of the concept of Akal Takht (throne of the timeless one), which serves as the supreme decision-making centre of Sikhism and sits opposite the Harmandir Sahib. The Sarbat Ḵẖālsā (a representative portion of the Khalsa) historically gathers at the Akal Takht on special festivals such as Vaisakhi or Hola Mohalla and when there is a need to discuss matters that affect the entire Sikh nation. A gurmatā (literally, guru’s intention) is an order passed by the Sarbat Ḵẖālsā in the presence of the Gurū Granth Sāhib. A gurmatā may only be passed on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion; it is binding upon all Sikhs. The term hukamnāmā (literally, edict or royal order) is often used interchangeably with the term gurmatā. However, a hukamnāmā formally refers to a hymn from the Gurū Granth Sāhib which is a given order to Sikhs.